So disabling Java, does anyone know if the Zune player relies on it at all? My friend is also one of the last people on earth who uses a Zune (I have offered him a FREE iPod, he has not taken it), so just want to make sure if disabling Java completely would interfere with that. I know I use Java on my machine for PS3 Media Server, so I have to admit disabling Java seems a little extreme to me as I feel it has its uses, but if it really will help stop all of this, I will un-install it.

Uninstall Java (or don't install it if you don't already have itMake sure (if you have them) you have the latest versions of Adobe Reader, Flash, Java (if you have it install). I would grab patchmypc and run it on that machine and see what out of date 3rd party software it finds. it updates all of them with 1 click.Make sure you have all your windows updatesRun Firefox with adblock, flashblock. You can use noscript but it's sorta a pain in the ass.I also recommend running standboxie. It won't prevent you from getting "infected" but if you do it should just infect the samebox. So to remove the virus infection, you just terminate all sandboxed processes and clear the sandbox.

Moral of the story, make sure you don't have java and keep your system up to date.

Perfect thanks. That is my friends #1 reason for his computer, he loves music, and has an incredibly large music collection, so he always has Zune player running, which I have to admit after playing around with it one day at his house helping him do some house keeping, is a nice interface at least. So I just wanted to make sure disabling Java would not disable it at all. Thanks for the fast response.

I admit i check out the sites now and again for a free viewing and its hard to tell if its the site your on, some dodgy add that pops up or as mentioned before some image that has some bad code hidden in it (ive had warnings saying such and such an image is dangerous but i believe its the site address being flagged).

Anyway here is what i use and dont seem to have any issues:ChromeKasperskyAdblock PlusAdMuncher (Premium adblocker)

I do "sometimes" scan for malware and what not using malwarebytes and i probably do that more than a virus scan lol (maybe once every 2-3months sometimes longer)

Things ive tried:Flash Block - Found annoyingNoscript - Sounds good and can do a good job but can be annoying to set up and configure so it works correctly with sites i normally ended up just disabling it

What I don't understand is that if you have Kaspersky which blocks most of the ads, and have AdBlock Plus, why have a premium Ad Blocker?

I verified with him, he did not install a single .exe, so it had to somehow be the ads from pron sites it sounds like.

There was a vulnerability in the Java applet runtime a couple versions back that allows attackers to trigger the machine to download a payload executable without the user having to click anything (other than simply visiting a site).I had to deal with the fallout of one such incident.. The payload exe in this case would run, sniff for a while, then start sending out emails to the user's contacts in webmails (yahoo, gmail, hotmail) with links to similarly infected sites. Oh yeah, as a bonus, it also joins your PC as a zombie in one of the major botnets. There are other payloads making rounds on the net, but that was one of the nastier ones.

Oracle allegedly fixed the vulnerability in the recent versions, but I still tell people to NOT install Java under any circumstances. And if they REALLY must have it for one of their apps, then I would point them to articles about how to disable the browser applets (which you have to do for EACH browser you have installed. Each of them in slightly different ways. A bloody annoyance.)

See, I am my friends default tech support, which is ironic as you can all probably tell, I am not a Windows oriented user whatsoever.

I don't know what kind of porn sites you guys go to, but I've never had any problems with any,
and IE does a perfect job as is without the need to fiddle with the HOSTS file.
I've been going to porn sites on a regular basis since 1995.

Getting viruses from porn sites is a myth. If anything, it'd be a virus site disguised as one, but very unlikely.I've been going to porn sites non stop for close to 20 years now and I've never gotten a virus from one.Out of all the years running computers, I've gotten 2 viruses which I've had no problem manually removing them myself in no time at all.

Quoted for the truth ...! Not just been going to them, but I worked in the adult industry on web design etc for a fair few years and most hosting platforms are very well protected. The worst thing that could happen to porn online would be the ludicrous suggestion that viruses come from the sites turning out to be a real thing. Doesn't happen.

What I don't understand is that if you have Kaspersky which blocks most of the ads, and have AdBlock Plus, why have a premium Ad Blocker?

AdMuncher catches the ones that they dont... I admit i started this counter before adding adblock but it still goes up. Also i have noticed that on two sites it removed the wait time for the videos and on some others removes the video ads that the service adds (bbc, c4, youtube etc). On top of that i feel i got a good deal by saving £25 or $50 whichever you prefer for lifetime updates. Of cause adblock probably can do what admuncher can if you set it up but there is always something i forget to do and thats back up my settings so i have to start from scratch everytime i format it just makes life simpler.